Councilman Pelaez Champions K9s For Warriors in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO (March 28, 2019) — On Wednesday, March 27, 2019, District 8 City Councilman Manny Pelaez championed the launch of a 10-year lease agreement with K9s For Warriors, the nation’s largest provider of service dogs for disabled American veterans. The nationally distinguished canine training organization will build a new facility on the ACS campus to train harder-to-rescue big dogs to become PTSD service animals for veterans. “It’s an amazing miracle that’s happening here, because what we’ve figured out how to do is innovatively address two long-standing needs in San Antonio, our veteran community and our four-legged friends who sometimes have a hard time getting adopted,” said Councilman Pelaez. “The ability to train 200 service dogs a year at our ACS facilities, with the help of K9s For Warrior staff and funding from Petco Foundation, is going to offer a second chance at life for both our veterans and homeless dogs.”

The project was included in the FY2019 budget process and will consist of the City of San Antonio leasing 3.3 acres of undeveloped land to K9s For Warriors at $1.00 per year for 10 years with two optional 5-year extensions. The Florida-based nonprofit has paired disabled American veterans with highly trained PTSD service dogs since 2011. Once complete, K9s For Warriors commits to rescue 200 qualifying dogs from ACS each year.